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FMA NATIONAL PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT AGAINST DAMAGING HOUSE BUDGET - March 26, 2015

Alexandria, VA: The U.S. House of Representatives adopted its Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Resolution (H. Con. Res 27) yesterday, detailing its spending priorities for the next ten years. The budget blueprint includes $318 billion in cuts to the federal workforce through: extreme increases to retirement contributions; attrition; reductions to returns within the Thrift Savings Plan; changes to the Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan; and, other cuts to pay and benefits. Patricia Niehaus, National President of the Federal Managers Association, expressed her strenuous opposition to this budget plan in remarks below.

Alexandria, VA - The Federal Managers Association (FMA) is excited to announce on Wednesday, March 4, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously passed FMA's initiative, the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act (S. 242), which would provide 104 hours of sick leave up front to first year federal employees who qualify under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as thirty percent or more disabled due to a service-related disability. The bill, introduced by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), is cosponsored by Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), would provide necessary leave to attend medical appointments for service-related injuries without exhausting both sick and annual leave. FMA National President Patricia Niehaus released the following statement on the bill's committee passage.

FMA NATIONAL PRESIDENT COMMENTS ON PRESIDENT OBAMA'S FY16 BUDGET REQUEST - February 2, 2015

Alexandria, VA – Today, President Barack Obama released the Administration’s fiscal year 2016 budget request. It calls for the end to sequestration, proposes a 1.3 percent increase to federal employee salaries, and does not recommend a switch to chained-CPI. It also eliminates a prior request of asking federal employees to contribute even more to their retirement funds.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PROPOSED HOUSE REPUBLICAN BUDGET - March 25, 2015

Exactly How Would the 2016 House GOP Budget Impact Your Pay and Benefits?

By Ian Smith, FEDSmith

The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on several budget proposals today, Wednesday, March 25. The leading proposal includes several provisions that would directly impact all federal employees, including huge increases to pension contributions, changes to the FEHB, and attrition policies.

LEGISLATION TO SHIFT FROM HIGH-3 TO HIGH-5 INTRODUCED IN HOUSE – March 6, 2015

Legislation Introduced to Cut Federal Pensions

By Ian Smith, FedSmith

Freshman Representative Bruce Westerman (R-AR) introduced legislation (H.R. 1230) this week to use an employees’ high five earning years, instead of the current high three, to calculate pension benefits. FMA opposes this measure, which would take effect on January 1, 2017. The bill would save the government an estimated $3.1 billion over ten years.

On Tuesday, March 3, The U.S. House of Representatives
approved a bill to provide funding for the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) through the end of fiscal year 2015. The bill passed by a vote of
257-167. The legislation does not include provisions blocking President Obama’s
executive action on immigration, which was the major sticking point since
December 2014.

What to expect if Homeland Security shuts down next week - February 24, 2015

Without a DHS Budget, About 200,000 Employees Would Be Required to Work Without Pay

Josh Hicks, The Washington Post

Monday passed without a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security, bringing the agency five days from a partial shutdown as Republicans try to block President Obama’s plans for shielding millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation.

MAJOR CUTS LOOM FOR FY16 IF SEQUESTRATION REMAINS IN PLACE - February 18, 2015

OMB warns of consequences if sequestration returns in 2016

By Jason Miller, Federal News Radio

The Office of Management and Budget issued a report to Congress that outlines cuts that would be required in Fiscal Year 2016 if sequestration remains the law of the land. According to the article, “Defense discretionary spending would drop to $523 billion from $585.8 billion in 2015, while non-defense discretionary spending would drop to $493.5 billion from $514.1 billion.”

The "Strengthening the Federal Workforce" chapter of President Obama's FY2016 budget request notes several glaring statistics comparing federal pay to that of the private sector in recent years. This article takes a look at several issues, including the fact that "federal employees have a greater concentration in higher-paying jobs and have earned more high-level degrees than private-sector workers."

Federal Managers Association (FMA) National Secretary Dora Quinlan, Executive Director Todd Wells, and Director of Government Affairs Greg Stanford spoke onFederal News Radio's FEDTalk, discussing the upcoming 77th annual National Convention and Management Training Seminar. The Training Seminar, entitled Federal Managers - Building the Government of Tomorrow, will focus on skills managers need in order to promote employee engagement for a more efficient and effective federal government. Additionally, the National Convention will inform FMA members of events in Congress and the Association's legislative agenda. For more information on the National Convention and to register, please click here.

Representative Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, spoke favorably about a pay raise for federal employees during remarks earlier this week. While he did not comment specifically on President Obama's proposed 1.3% pay raise for FY2016, he expressed concern about feds falling behind inflation. Chairman Chaffetz also cited the Wounded Warrior Federal Leave Act (H.R. 313), an FMA initiative, as a good example of bipartisan legislation that would reform the federal workforce in a positive way.

President Obama’s FY16 budget request focuses on a number of his management priorities, including efficient customer service via technology, flexibility in spending on cross-cutting management initiatives, and eliminating, using data and metrics, and consolidating duplicative agencies and programs. The $4 trillion budget, released on Monday, February 2, would also end sequestration.

The cuts to long-term TDY (temporary duty) at the Department of Defense took effect on Saturday, November 1, 2014. Check the Washington Report and FMA Working for You to see what the Association is doing about this, and how you can help!

FMA 77TH ANNUAL CONVENTION PREPARES MANAGERS FOR GOVERNMENT OF TOMORROW

While the federal workforce has seen limiting budgets and decreased morale in recent years, federal managers are still tasked to ensure federal departments and agencies meet missions and goals, as well as promote employee engagement for efficiency and effectiveness. In order to assist federal managers in this venture, the Federal Managers Association (FMA) hosted its 77th annual National Convention and Management Training Seminar, titled, Federal Managers—Building the Government of Tomorrow, to prepare not only its members, but all federal managers, for obstacles they face. From March 8-11, at the Doubletree Hotel Crystal City—National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, members discussed best practices in various federal departments and agencies, as well as hindrances faced. This was a wonderful opportunity for FMA members to hear the good works of their fellow managers and supervisors as they aspire to ensure a fully functioning federal workforce. Additionally, the conference provided an opportunity for members to meet their elected officials to share their experiences as federal managers.

In November 2014, the Department of Defense (DOD) instituted cuts to per diem allowances for civilian employees on temporary duty assignments (TDY) for more than thirty days. Those on TDY between 30 and 180 days saw a reduction of 25 percent, while those on TDY more than 180 days saw a reduction of 45 percent. DOD commented these cuts would be necessary to reduce departmental spending. However, DOD employees now face difficulty finding acceptable accommodations that meet the cost reductions. While DOD commented it will reimburse employees if they cannot meet the reductions, employees will still be responsible for any upfront costs. In response to this policy, Representatives Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Walter Jones (R-NC) introduced legislation, H.R. 1193, prohibiting any reductions to TDY per diem allowances.

On Wednesday, March 4, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved unanimously the bipartisan Wounded Warrior Federal Leave Act (S. 242), as sponsored by Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Jerry Moran (R-KS). The legislation would provide leave up front for disabled veterans newly hired to the federal government. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee passed similar legislation (H.R. 313) in late January 2015.

Patricia Niehaus, president of the Federal Managers Association, which helped create the legislation, said veterans who become federal employees shouldn't have to choose between work and much-needed health care. "As these disabled veterans served their country on and off the battlefield, it is only right that the federal government provide this much needed leave," Niehaus said. "The Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act will ensure that federal agencies and departments' missions and goals will be met while treating our disabled veteran first year federal employees with the treatment they deserve."

FMA Director of Government Affairs Greg Stanford and Government Affairs Representative Katie Maddocks appeared on Your Turn with Mike Causey on Federal News Radio on Wednesday, February 25, to discuss a host of issues affecting federal managers. They discussed funding for the Department of Homeland Security, federal pay, and several pieces of legislation introduced recently in the U.S. House of Representatives, including federal employee pension contributions and attrition bills. They also discussed FMA's upcoming 77th Annual National Convention, which will be held March 8-11, 2015, at the Doubletree Hotel in Arlington, Virginia.